Reactive separation process

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for reactive separation of mixtures containing hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons, by contacting a mixture of hydrocarbons such as C 2 to C 26 hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof and oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as C 2 to C 40 oxygenated hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof to form a mixture of hydrocarbons and lower molecular weight oxygenated hydrocarbons and heating the mixture in water at temperature typically from about and pressure sufficient to cleave the oxygenated hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight products to form a liquid layer containing water soluble reaction products and an organic layer containing primarily hydrocarbons.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for reactively separating mixtures containing hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons, consisting essentially of the steps of: heating a starting mixture of hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of C 2  to C 26  hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof and oxygenated hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of C 2  to C 40  oxygenated hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof in water at temperature and pressure sufficient to cleave the oxygenated hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight hydrocarbon and oxygenated hydrocarbon products; and   forming an aqueous layer containing lower molecular weight oxygenated hydrocarbon reaction products having solubility in water and an organic layer containing primarily hydrocarbons.   
     
     
       2. A method for reactively separating mixtures containing hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons, consisting essentially of the steps of: heating a starting mixture of hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of C 2  to C 26  hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof and oxygenated hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of C 2  to C 40  oxygenated hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof in water at a temperature and pressure sufficient to cleave oxygenated hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight hydrocarbon and oxygenated hydrocarbon reaction products;   forming an aqueous layer containing lower molecular weight oxygenated hydrocarbon reaction products having solubility in water and an organic layer containing primarily hydrocarbons; and   separating the reaction products having solubility in water to recover the lower molecular weight oxygenated hydrocarbon reaction product.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygenated hydrocarbons are selected from the group consisting of ethers, esters, acetals, and mixtures thereof and the hydrocarbons are selected from the group consisting of paraffins, olefins, aromatics and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbons are selected from the group consisting of C 6  to C 12  olefins and mixtures thereof and wherein the oxygenated hydrocarbons are selected from the group consisting of C 6  to C 12  ethers and mixture thereof. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon is a mixture of C 8  olefins and the oxygenated hydrocarbon is sec-butyl-ether. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon is a mixture of olefins and the oxygenated hydrocarbons are selected from the group selected consisting of C 10  to C 40  oxygenated hydrocarbons.